5 Fast Facts for your Child’s Teeth

~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

FACT 1 Baby teeth are important and for several BIG reasons. Baby teeth are also called primary teeth or milk teeth and help your child learn where to put their tongue and cheeks so that they can speak clearly, allow them to chew their food well, help in the growth of both their jaws, and guide the position of their adult teeth. That’s a lot of responsibility for 20 teeth!

FACT 2 Your child can get cavities from their bottle and from nursing. Please don’t put your child to bed with a bottle or nurse them while they are sleeping. The liquid in the bottle or breast milk causes cavities because it stays on their teeth. So the sugar in the milk, juice, breast milk in their nice warm mouth eats away at their teeth. That’s why we call them “Sugar Bugs”.

FACT 3 A dab ‘ll do ya with toothpaste. From your child’s first tooth until they are 2 years old a tiny smear is enough. For your 3 to 6 year old a pea sized amount of toothpaste is plenty. As your child gets older they don’t need more than the pea sized amount. Remember to directly supervise their brushing routine, get in there with them and sing that brushing song. Louder, I want to hear you! What are your favorite brushing tunes?

FACT 4 It’s best to let that wiggly teeth come out on its own. If your child wants to help it along, allow them to gently wiggle the tooth with their fingers or tongue until it comes out on its own. Do not pull or put anything else on the tooth to help it along which will be painful and cause their gums to bleed. If you see an adult tooth growing in and that baby tooth isn’t wiggly or is slightly wiggly call your Pediatric Dentist for their guidance. So tell me, what is your tooth fairy tradition?

FACT 5 Sealants really do work. Even with really good brushing and flossing sometimes it’s impossible to clean the tiny grooves and pits on some teeth. Food and bacteria build up in these crevices and before you know it there’s a cavity. Sealants “seal out” food and plaque reducing their tooth’s risk of decay. Are you joining the No Cavity Club?

Go ahead, send me an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com and tell me your favorite brushing song, your tooth fairy tradition, and if you’re joining the no cavity club. I love to hear from you!

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

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Published by kidstoothhotline

As a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist with over ten years of experience practicing Pediatric Dentistry, I understand that parents and caregivers are in need for information to care for their children's oral health. You may not have your normal lines of communication open or you cannot easily call or visit your child’s Dentist and obtain answers to your questions. Some families may not yet have a Pediatric Dentist to call. My expertise and knowledge can help serve as your source as I provide answers with information that is current, informative and the Gold Standards of Care which are the practice Guidelines approved by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. I want to help you access this important information by answering your questions through this site. You may want to submit your own individual questions or you can view my postings and answers to other families questions that may apply to your child's needs. I am committed to helping you stay informed, after all it is all about your child.